Metro Cinema to get multiplex makeover

Metro Cinema, an integral part of the city's heritage will be given a fresh look and will house modern multiplexes to attract audience soon.

The Heritage Committee of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the state Heritage Commission have given permission to pull down the old structure except the façade to make room for the multiplexes.

There will be a food court and shops. The multiplex will come up on the rear side of the hall which is the non heritage portion. The heritage lobby of the cinema hall will be preserved. The demolition of the old structure except the front portion will begin soon. As the structure is surrounded by old buildings like the Whiteaway, Laidlaw and other houses, special protection will be taken to pull it down.

A multi-storey building will come up in the rear portion of the building where two multiplexes will be constructed. Metro Cinema is closed since 2011 after it failed to attract audience. It incurred a huge loss and it became impossible for the Mumbai-based owners to carry on with a single screen hall.

The owners appealed to the KMC for permission to renovate the hall and construct modern multiplexes. KMC's heritage committee members and later, members of state government's heritage commission inspected the site and informed the owner that the façade and the lobby will have to be maintained as it is and the multiplex can be built on the non heritage portion.

Metro Cinema hall was set up in 1935 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, an American production company based in Beverly Hills to promote their films in Kolkata. Kolkata was among the most important cities throughout the British Empire with large English speaking population. It was Metro Cinema that had introduced morning shows on Sunday when English films, especially Hollywood movies were screened. Metro Cinema had a heritage lobby with photographs of great actors and directors put up on the walls.

Senior KMC officials said as single cinema hall could not attract audience anymore, the mindset would have to be changed with time when modern multiplexes would replace the old auditorium. "Before the laws to save heritage structures came into force, many buildings had been pulled down. But here, the façade would be preserved so that the younger generation would be able to see how the old structure looked like. They will be able to visit the old lobby which would be preserved.